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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25685755">A Second Shot At Successful Storytelling</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearl_Pilots_In_Chains/pseuds/Pearl_Pilots_In_Chains'>Pearl_Pilots_In_Chains</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Of Tears and Ash [17]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hercules: The Legendary Journeys</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Banter, Discussion, Gen, Ridiculous dialogue</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2018-10-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2018-10-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:27:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,835</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25685755</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearl_Pilots_In_Chains/pseuds/Pearl_Pilots_In_Chains</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Orestes tells Iphicles a rather peculiar tale involving a pair of his friends and a predicament into which they've roped him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Of Tears and Ash [17]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1050806</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Second Shot At Successful Storytelling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Orestes shot a glance over to Iphicles, a smile forming on his face.They were trudging along side by side in their spot at the back of the caravan, forming a rear guard of sorts for the company.Kadmos was somewhere further on ahead, likely toward the front of the group, perhaps riding in the foremost wagon.Based on Orestes’s observations, it seemed that the region through which they were traveling was not a particularly dangerous one.The presence of numerous other travelers on the road, a fair number of who he had noticed bore arms of some sort, as well as the general openness of the surrounding terrain, a relatively even plain with small copses of trees here and there, and few places which would make ideal hiding places, seemed to indicate that it was unlikely their caravan would be waylaid by any bandits, at least for the moment.All things considered then, it appeared to Orestes to be an opportune time to engage in a lively continuation of his banter with Iphicles from the previous evening.He had planned accordingly, developing a new strategy which he planned to implement, something which he was moderately confident might be more successful than his earlier wit.</p>
<p>“Ah, my friend,” he began, in a tone devious enough that Iphicles would be able to ascertain what he was attempting to initiate, “There is a new situation I have become aware of, which I feel I should apprise you of also, given that some elements of it might concern you.”</p>
<p>“Is that so, good Orestes?”Iphicles shot back, a grin crossing his lips.It was clear that he was game to engage in a bit of fun.“And what, if I might be so bold as to inquire, would this situation happen to be?I sincerely hope that it is not something too terrible, for if that is the case, I will be forced to regret allowing you to inform me of it.”</p>
<p>“Well now, my friend, I am afraid that I can make no promises of any sort when it comes to the horror present in this matter,” Orestes replied.“With that warning in mind, do you still wish to hear of it, or do you think it best for us to table it for now, lest I scar your ears through the tale which I am about to tell?The choice is yours, and I will not hold the path you choose against you.”</p>
<p>“You know,” Iphicles began, “I feel that regardless of the peril that I may face as a result of my choice, if I am to be true to my heart of hearts, I must agree to hear out your tale, whatever my reservations may be.”</p>
<p>“Very good, my friend,” Orestes responded.“I was hoping you would be so inclined.Now, allow me to enlighten you as to the nature of the circumstances in which I have become embroiled.”</p>
<p>“Please, go right ahead,” Iphicles directed.</p>
<p>“Don’t mind if I do,” Orestes said, beaming.“I find myself in now involved in a truly confounding dilemma.You see, I have been requested to accompany a pair of good friends of mine, on a quest of sorts, as it were.You know how these things happen.One sits down to enjoy a drink or two with a comrade, and somewhere along the line, one drink leads to another, and another after that.”</p>
<p>“Indeed, I know that progression well,” Iphicles confirmed with a chuckle.“It can lead to some rather sticky situations.”</p>
<p>“You’re right about that much,” Orestes concurred.“After all, once you have enjoyed a few too many drinks, you tend to assent to ideas more readily than you might if you were in full command of your rationality.Do you follow what I mean?”</p>
<p>“I follow you excellently, my friend,” Iphicles assured his companion.“I take it that you agreed to something which you now regret, is that the case?”</p>
<p>“You know me so well, good Iphicles,” Orestes stated, shaking his head, biting at his lip to keep from grinning.“That is precisely what transpired.You see, during this conversation, my friends — let us call them, hmm, Selucreh and Knee-swollaus —”</p>
<p>“Marvelous names, to be sure,” Iphicles interrupted in a jovial tone.</p>
<p>“Yes, yes, they are quite wonderful monikers, are they not?”Orestes mused.“Anyhow, to return to the woeful tale of how I came to be entangled in such an unpleasant position, I went drinking with my old friend Selucreh and Knee-swollaus.”</p>
<p>“I follow so far,” Iphicles commented.</p>
<p>“Fantastic,” Orestes responded.“Now, somewhere in the course of the evening, they began to tell me of an adventure of sorts which they were planning.They had heard rumors of a beast prowling the marshes not far from the town where we were meeting.According to these rumors, it was a fearsome creature, reptilian in nature, with a plethora of serpentine heads extending out from its body.Unquestionably not the sort of monster to be taken lightly.Yet, at the same time, though it was an appalling predator, capable of ripping the strongest of warriors apart limb-by-limb in a matter of seconds, it was also incredibly elusive.Few had ever seen it, possibly because none of those who encountered it ever lived to tell the tale.However, as a result of this, there were many in the region who doubted that it existed at all.Still others claimed that if it did in fact exist, it was not so terrible as the rumors made it out to be, but was rather a more modest monstrosity, which wished to hide itself away from human eyes, for it realized its own hideousness.For this reason, the locals had dubbed this beast,” here he paused for dramatic effect, “The Shy-dra.”</p>
<p>Iphicles slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle the laughter which sprung forth.Orestes, on the other hand, looked rather proud of the story which he had concocted.When Iphicles had at last recovered enough to be able to speak without dissolving into chortling, he observed, “Sounds like a rather dubious creature to me.”</p>
<p>“Quite true, quite true,” Orestes concurred.“And perhaps I would have realized the same thing myself, had I been fully sober.But, as drunk as I was by then, I was fully entranced by the very thought of such a magical monster.Thus, when Selucreh and Knee-swollaus told me of their plan to journey out into the swamps, to seek the Shy-dra, in order to prove once and for all that it did in fact exist, I was all ears.When they asked if I wished to join them, I ecstatically agreed, without a second thought, much to my chagrin when I came to my senses the next morning.I realized then, that I had landed myself in a true predicament!What was I to do?I had no desire to go wandering through the boggy fens, in search of a beast that very likely didn’t even exist.And yet, at the same time, I could not merely renege on the agreement I had made with my companions the previous night.I am, after all, as you know well, a man of my word.”</p>
<p>“That is true,” Iphicles agreed.“It seems that you were in difficult position indeed.”</p>
<p>“Oh, I was, I was, do not doubt it for an instant.Thankfully, I have improved my situation a bit since then,” Orestes explained.</p>
<p>“How so?” Iphicles inquired.</p>
<p>“You see, I decided that, no matter what compunctions I had which made me loathe to do so, that I had to use any excuse necessary to escape this foolish errand.Thus, I went and attempted to persuade my friends that I had valid reasons that I had previously forgotten, for why I could not join them on their expedition,” Orestes revealed.</p>
<p>“A shameful course of action,” Iphicles opined, smirking widely, “But one which I cannot fault you for taking.Did they believe you?”</p>
<p>“Well now, that remains to be seen,” Orestes answered.</p>
<p>“I take it that is where you are out now then?Proving to your friends that you have a reasonable excuse for not joining them?”Iphicles inquired, his tone disclosing that he already knew what the answer would be.</p>
<p>“I see that you follow my story well,” Orestes replied.“That is indeed where I am at now.You see, I promised them that I would provide the testimony of a friend, who could vouch for me.To this, they said they would accept this testimony, on one condition.”</p>
<p>“And what would that condition happen to be?”Iphicles asked, raising an eyebrow humorously.</p>
<p>“That whatever friend I chose to testify on my behalf first revealed his or her opinion on my abandonment of a fellow soldier to guard a wagon during one of my gigs as a mercenary,” Orestes supplied, struggling to keep a straight face.“Please, my friend, for my sake, will you do this for me?I am wholly reluctant to join them on their futile quest.You are my only hope to avoid it.Only your testimony can avert this disaster that will otherwise befall me!What say you, good Iphicles?Will you aid your good companion Orestes?I will be greatly in your debt if you agree to aid me in this affair.”</p>
<p>Iphicles looked toward the ground, furrowing his brow and scrunching his lips into a frown, creating the impression that he was ruminating on the request.“Why am I not surprised by these specific terms?”He pondered aloud.</p>
<p>Orestes shrugged, looking away in order to maintain his composure.“I cannot say, my friend.Perhaps this moment has already come to you in the form of a dream?”</p>
<p>Iphicles shook his head, his eyes still turned downward.“No, I don’t believe that to be the case.In any case,” he continued, “I’m afraid that I cannot spare you from this business.To do so would be to prevent you from developing your skills in swamp survival further, which would be a great transgression on my part.Building proficiency in such an area is a very important thing to do, after all!No, I believe it is best for you to go on this adventure with your friends, even if it is a futile quest!”</p>
<p>Orestes and Iphicles both promptly dissolved into laughter.After a good minute or so of amusement, Orestes inquired, “So, was that attempt better?”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t too bad,” Iphicles admitted.“However, I think you can do better.Surely your friends have invited you on stranger treks than that?”</p>
<p>Orestes raised a hand in denial.“They haven’t yet, fortunately.However,” his eyes narrowed, and a sly grin ran through his lips, “Who can say what the future holds?They may yet rope me into an expedition so horrendous that your intervention is absolutely required to ensure my very survival!”</p>
<p>“They may, huh?”Iphicles commented laconically.</p>
<p>“You never know, it could happen,” Orestes assured him.</p>
<p>“Right.It could happen,” Iphicles echoed sarcastically.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is another one of my HTLJ fics from 2018 (set in my "Of Tears and Ash" AU) that I never posted, but decided I might as well, considering the time I put into them. Once again, since I'm no longer really in the fandom, I'm backdating this to when I wrote it, so no one thinks I'm suddenly back into HTLJ.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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